John Adams to Abigail Adams

[dateline] Amsterdam March 22. 1782

[salute] My dearest Friend

Your humble Servant has lately grown much into Fashion in this Country. Nobody scarcely
of so much importance, as Mynheer Adams. Every City, and Province rings with De Heer
Adams &c. &c. &c. and if I were to judge of things here as We do in other Countries,
I should think I was going to be received, at the Hague in awfull Pomp in a few Weeks.1 But I never can foresee one hour what will happen.

I have had however, great Pleasure to see, that there is a national Attachment to
America, in the Body of this nation that is well worth cultivating, for there are
no Allies more faithfull than they, as has abundantly appeared by their long Suffering
with England.

Our Friends at Petersbourg are well. Pray God Charles may be with you.

I cant conceive what the English will do. They are in a strange Position at present.
They cannot do much against America. But I hope, America will take their remaining
Armies Prisoners in N.Y. and Charlestown. We must not relax, but pursue our Advantages.

The Proceedings of Rotterdam, will shew you, in the inclosed Paper, the Substance
of what all the great Cities in this Republick are doing. Let Mr. Cranch translate
it, and print it in the News { 301 } papers. It is good News. You will have an Abundance of more, which will shew you,
that We have not been idle here, but have sown Seeds for a plentifull Harvest. Some
Folks will think your Husband, a Negotiator, but it is not he, it is General Washington
at York Town who did the substance of the Work, the form only belongs to me.

Oh When shall I see my dearest Friend.—All in good Time. My dear blue Hills, ye are
the most sublime object in my Imagination. At your reverend Foot, will I spend my
old Age, if any, in a calm philosophical Retrospect upon the turbulent scaenes of
Politicks and War. I shall recollect Amsterdam, Leyden and the Hague with more Emotion
than Philadelphia or Paris.

[salute] Adieu Adieu.

RC (Adams Papers). Enclosed “Proceedings of Rotterdam,” not found, was a text, in Dutch or French,
of a Petition of the Merchants, Insurers, and Freighters of Rotterdam to the Regency
of that City, which was without date but which reached JA's hands about 20 March; an English translation is in Lb/JA/1708f; printed English
texts are in JA's Collection of State-Papers, 1782, p. 45–46, and Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 5:256–257. The petition pleaded for recognition of American independence and the
opening of commerce with the United States.